Kurimoto Furusato Sweet Potato Festival

更新日:2021年7月19日

Kurimoto Furusato Sweet Potato Festival

Katori City is one of the leading producers of sweet potatoes in Japan. At Kurimoto Furusato Sweet Potato Festival, benikomachi, a rare type of sweet potato that is Kurimoto’s local specialty, and the popular silk sweet potato are slowly roasted on a total of 100 rice husk mounds. Sweet potatoes are also steamed in a giant wooden steamer. These roasted and steamed sweet potatoes are distributed to festival-goers for free. Moreover, there is a large mural made of vegetables and many unique events, such as potato-digging. Please come and participate in this large scale event.

Venue

Katori City Kurimoto Sports Field

1045 Iwabe, Katori City, Chiba Prefecture 287-0102

Parking information

Asamadai Sports Land Parking Lot (shuttle bus available)

Full occupancy expected at 11:00 AM

Yazawa Temporary Parking Lot (shuttle bus not available, 15 minute walk to venue)

Full occupancy expected at 10:00 AM

Parking restrictions may occur in the case of bad weather or based on the condition of the parking lot’s surface.

Kurimoto Firefighting Training Ground Parking Lot (shuttle bus not available, 8 minute walk to venue)

Full occupancy expected at 9:30 AM

Sharon Kurimoto Factory (shuttle bus not available, 15 minute walk to venue)

Full occupancy expected at 12:00 PM

Contact Information

Katori City Agriculture Administration Division, Product Promotion Section

Phone:0478-50-1258

Day of and day before the festival:Katori City Hall, Kurimoto Branch

Phone:0478-75-2111

Events

Japan’s Largest Sweet Potato Roasting Site

On the night before the festival, 100 mounds of rice husks are set on fire and burned throughout the night. By morning, these mounds are pitch black. As the main event of Kurimoto Furusato Sweet Potato Festival, benikomachi sweet potatoes, a local specialty of Kurimoto, are placed inside of these mounds and slowly roasted for two hours before being distributed to festival-goers for free.

Sweet Potatoes Steamed in Large Wooden Crates

Five large wooden crates, measuring 1.8 meters on each side, are stacked on top of a large pot with a diameter of about 1.6 meters with the help of a crane. 500 kg of beniazuma sweet potatoes are then steamed all at once and distributed over three rounds for free.

Large Monument

The symbol of Kurimoto Furusato Sweet Potato Festival. Until now, there has been a vegetable tower, which stood over eight meters tall, a large mural of Chiba Prefecture’s mascot, CHI-BA+KUN, a treasure ship carrying the bountiful blessings of the land, a sweet potato Mt. Fuji, and many other works of art made from vegetables.

Sweet Potato Digging

Within the festival venue, you can dig for sweet potato and take them home. This experience is especially popular among children.

Red and White Mochi (Rice Dumpling) Throwing

Every year, as the Sweet Potato Festival’s finale, red and white mochi are tossed among the crowd of people. In addition to the mochi, a colored ball, which can be traded in for an extravagant prize, is also thrown.Every year, as the Sweet Potato Festival’s finale, red and white mochi are tossed among the crowd of people. In addition to the mochi, a colored ball, which can be traded in for an extravagant prize, is also thrown.

Petting Zoo

Within the festival venue, there is a petting zoo with over 50 small animals, including bunnies, guinea pigs, and chicks. You can hold them and feed them. This area is extremely popular among the children.

Various Refreshment Booths

Along the front approach of the Sweet Potato Shrine, there are over 50 organizations selling fresh vegetables and other local specialties.

Flea Market

Enjoy hunting for great bargains among the 100 flea market booths.

【Inquiries】Katori City Council of Social Welfare, Kurimoto Branch

Phone:0478-75-2118

Fire Igniting Ceremony

The Fire Igniting Ceremony takes place on the night before the Sweet Potato Festival. A fire is made using a primitive fire-making bow and mortar. This fire is then transferred to a torch and is carried in a procession to Japan’s largest sweet potato roasting site, where it is used to ignite the rice husk mounds.

Location

in front of the Sweet Potato Shrine within the Sweet Potato Festival venue

Note: This ceremony will be cancelled in the case of poor weather conditions.

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商工観光課 観光班
〒287-8501 千葉県香取市佐原ロ2127番地 (市役所3階)
電話:0478-50-1212 
ファクス:0478-54-2855

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